Woman, 78, Dies in Mobility Scooter Collision in Pelt

A 78-year-old woman from Herent, Pelt, has died after being struck by a car while crossing the Peerderbaan on her mobility scooter on Saturday evening. The collision occurred on Saturday evening at the intersection of Peerderbaan and Kolisbos in Neerpelt, according to VRT NWS. Emergency services were unable to save the victim, who died at the scene.

The Incident

The victim was crossing the road accompanied by her husband, who was also riding a mobility scooter and had crossed just ahead of her. A 22-year-old woman driving a BMW saw the husband crossing but did not see the wife following behind, according to witness accounts reported by HLN. The driver could not avoid the collision.

“The 78-year-old woman wanted to cross the street with her mobility scooter,” said Pieter Strauven, spokesperson for the Limburg Public Prosecutor’s Office. “She was accompanied by another person with a mobility scooter who had crossed the roadway earlier.”

The victim’s husband was taken to hospital in shock after witnessing the accident. A witness who saw the collision up close told police that the impact was devastating. “I only saw the seat of the mobility scooter lying on the ground, I knew immediately what time it was,” the witness said.

Driver Investigation

The 22-year-old driver, deeply affected by the incident, tested negative for both alcohol and drugs. As standard procedure in fatal accident investigations, her driver’s license was confiscated for 15 days, Strauven confirmed.

The Limburg public prosecutor’s office has dispatched a traffic expert to investigate the precise circumstances of the collision. The Peerderbaan was closed locally during the investigation. Mayor Dennis Fransen (CD&V) declined to comment at the request of the public prosecutor’s office.

A Dangerous Intersection

The intersection where the accident occurred has a documented history of serious incidents. In December 2024, an 81-year-old female cyclist from Bocholt was killed at the same location, which local police had already identified as a dangerous point, according to VRT NWS. Just 12 days before Saturday’s tragedy, on June 30, 2026, a collision between two cars at the same Kolis intersection left three people injured, as reported by Internetgazet.

Local residents have raised concerns about a high hedge at the corner of the intersection that obstructs visibility. One resident told HLN: “The whole neighborhood has trouble with that high hedge here. When we drive out, we really have to look very carefully and drive onto the street slowly. Cars pass here at 70 km/h and we can’t see very far.”

Another resident who spoke with the driver said: “I can understand that the driver simply did not see the woman. She saw the man, but she did not see the woman riding behind him and hit her at full speed.”

Broader Implications

The accident highlights the particular risks faced by elderly and mobility-impaired road users. Both fatal incidents at this intersection in the past 18 months have involved vulnerable road users — an elderly cyclist and an elderly mobility scooter user. The recurring pattern of accidents raises questions about whether the municipality of Pelt has taken adequate safety measures at the Kolis intersection, where residents report cars passing at speeds of approximately 70 km/h.

What’s Next

The traffic expert’s investigation will determine whether the hedge, speed, or other factors contributed to the collision. The findings will be submitted to the public prosecutor’s office as part of the ongoing investigation. Whether the municipality will take action to improve safety at the intersection — such as trimming vegetation, installing better signage, or implementing speed reduction measures — remains an open question.

This article was compiled from reports by VRT NWS, HLN, and Internetgazet.